Trinidad opens Gold Cup with 3-1 win over Guatemala

CHICAGO (AP) Sheldon Bateau and Cordell Cato scored within three minutes of each other, and Joevin Jones added another first half goal to give Trinidad and Tobago a 3-1 win over Guatemala in the Gold Cup Group C opener Thursday night.

Carlos Ruiz scored the lone goal for Guatemala in the 62nd minute. Guatemala, which rarely threatened in the first half, got more opportunities in the second. Ruiz nearly got a second goal twice, just missing sliding chances to finish crosses in the 78th and 87th minutes.

Bateau put Trinidad up 1-0 when he stretched to score off an 11th-minute corner kick. Three minutes later, Guatemalan defender Moises Hernandez headed the ball into the path of Cato, who touched the ball past goalkeeper Ricardo Jerez.

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In the 26th minute Jones, who plays for the Chicago Fire, passed to Cato in the box. Jerez got his hands to the ball first, but knocked it into the space in front of Jones, who slotted it easily into the net.

Both teams will play their next Group C match on Sunday in Phoenix, when Trinidad and Tobago takes on Cuba, while Guatemala plays Mexico.